Staten Island Advance mainstay Kevin Donnelly killed in crash

Kevin Donnelly, 43, with his five sons, from left: Conor, Ryan, Brendan, Aidan and Sean,

By JOHN ANNESE and BEN JOHNSON

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Family, friends and Advance colleagues are mourning Kevin Donnelly, a longtime sports copy editor for the paper, who died Saturday night after a 20-year-old drunken driver precipitated an accident on the Garden State Parkway, authorities said.

Mr. Donnelly, 43, of Middletown, N.J., a native Staten Islander and the father of five boys, was pronounced dead at the scene in Aberdeen, N.J., following the 11 p.m. crash.

His death leaves a terrible hole.

"I loved him. He was just a kind soul," said his sister, Kerri Whyte. "He loved his kids. All he could ever talk about was his kids. ... It's like a nightmare. I'm waiting to wake up."

When the crash occurred, Mr. Donnelly was on his way home after a gathering at the house of his girlfriend's brother in New Jersey, according to his sister. His girlfriend, Erin Small, 42, of Middletown, and her cousin Kenneth Mackenzie, 48, also a New Jerseyan, were passengers.

Mr. Donnelly was southbound on the local portion of the parkway near exit 120 when a black Chevy Cobalt in the left lane driven by Eric Periera of Jackson, N.J., caught the corner of his 2004 Ford Freestar, said New Jersey State Police Sgt. Stephen Jones.

The Ford veered out of control, overturning and jumping the median into the southbound express lanes, where a white Toyota Sienna minivan slammed into the driver's side, Jones said.

Mr. Donnelly died at the scene.

Ms. Small suffered serious internal injuries, and was airlifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, according to Jones. She is listed in serious condition. Mackenzie suffered neck and back injuries and was taken to Jersey Shore Medical Center. The minivan driver was uninjured, police said.

Periera, who did not suffer serious injuries, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, Jones said. He was released on his own recognizance, though he may face additional charges as the investigation progresses.

The investigation shut down the southbound lanes of the parkway near exit 120 for several hours following the crash.

"It is very difficult to put feelings into words when such a tragedy occurs," said Advance Editor Brian Laline. "This is a devastating loss for the Advance family. Kevin was an integral member of our Sports Department, and a fabulous person to have on our staff. Our prayers and our deepest sympathy are with Kevin's family. To say that he will be missed is just not saying enough."

Mr. Donnelly's colleagues recalled him as a reserved man who lit up with enthusiasm when reviewing the particulars of a Yankees' victory.

"We always treated our department like a team sport, and Kevin was an important part of that team," said Advance Sports Editor Carmine Angioli. "He made a contribution with his journalism abilities, but also with his character and personality. His death hurts us professionally, but it hurts us personally, too. Kevin was a very good, old-fashioned newspaper guy with intelligent observations. He was one of ours."

Mr. Donnelly graduated from New Dorp High School and took his bachelor of science degree in journalism from St. John's University in Queens.

He joined the Advance staff as a copy editor in October 1995. Though he worked primarily as an editor and paginator, he wrote a handful of stories about baseball, including a 1996 piece giving Island Yankees fans advice on dealing with Stadium traffic, which in his words was "as frustrating as trying to hit a Mariano Rivera fastball."

Mr. Donnelly conceived a passion for baseball as a young boy, Ms. Whyte said, when he played Little League.

"He's just a very kind, kind person who would do anything for you and always made you laugh," she said. "His kids were his life."